The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-03-04
CHAPTER XIII.


leaving England. had observed the
immense leverage eNerted over the
deep-lying hull by the weight of her
lofty spars: and by the effect which
the carrying-away of the foretop-mast
had produced, had no doub, that our
position would be rendered far less
critical. while the vessel would rise to
the waves with much greater ease. if
we could rid her of a portion of her
immense top-weight.
| waited until the boatswain came
aft. and then surrendered the wheel to
Cornish: after which l crouched with
the boa:swain under the lee of the
companion. where. at least, We could
hear each others voices.
she pitches easier since the foretop-
mast went. bosom. There is still too
much top-hamper The main-royal
stay is gone, and the mast can't stand
long. think, unless we stay it for ard
again But we mustn't lose the top
mast
mo. we can't do without him. Yet
there's a risk of him goin' too. if you
cut away the top-gall'nt backstays.
What's to prevent him?" said he. look
ing mp at the mast.
.Oh. l know how to prevent It."
replied. I'm 90 aloft with a hand-saw
and wound the mast. What do you
think? Snail we let it carry away''
Yes" hereplied, promptly. She'll
he another ship with them masts out of
her. If it comes on fine We'll make
shift to bend on the new foresail, and
get jib on her by a stay from the
lower masthead to the bowsprit end.
Then he continued. calculating on
his fingers, 1--WE shall have the msin top
mast stays'l. mizzen. mizzentop-s'l-
six and two makes heisht-height sails
on her-a bloomin' show o canvass
He ran his eyes aloft and said, en-
phatically:
I'm for lettin' of EN- 60. most sar-
tinly."
got up, but he caught hold of my
arm
I'll 60 alott," said he.
NO, no." l replied, Its my turn.
You stand b. to cut away the lanyards
to leeward. and then get to windwa ard
and wait for me. We must watch for
3 heavy lurch. for we don't want the
spars to fall amidships and drive hole
through the deck"
So saying l made for the cabin lately
shared between the carpenter and the
boatswain where l procured saw
from the tool chest. Before going
aloft 1 sounded the we'll and found the
ship perfectly tight This discovery
filled me with Joy.
With incredible toll I succeeded in
gaining the cross-trees, and, taking
the saw, went to work at the mast
with it. saving the mast just under
the yard. so that it might 60 clean off
at that place.
When sawed deep enough I cut
away the weather rigging and sung
out to the boatswain to cut away to
leeward.
By the time l reached the deck all
was adrift to leeward, and the mast
was now held in its plsee BY the
weather backstayS l dropped into
the chains and there helped the boats
vain with nv knife, and, watching an
opportunity when the ship rolled
heavily to leeward, we cut through the
lanyards of the top-gallant baekstay.
and the whole structure of spar, yards
and rigging went flying overheard.
Encouraged by the success of these
operations. and well knowing that 4
large measure Of our safety depended
upon our easing the ship of her top
hammer, l sung out that We would
now cut away the mizzen-top-gallant
mast and once more went alOft
though the boatswain begged hard to
take my place this time
This spar. being much lighter and
smaller. did not threaten me so dan
gerously as the other had done, and,
In tolerably short space of time, we
had sent it flying overheard after the
main-sop-gallant mast: and all this we
did without further injury to ourselves
than a temporary deprivation of
strength and breath
The ship had now the appearance of
a wreck; and vet in her mutilated con-
dition was safer than she had been at
any moment since the gale first sprung
up. The easing her of all this top
weight seemed to make her as buoyant
as though we had got hundred tons
of cargo out of her. Indeed. was
now satisfied. providing every thing
stood. and the wind did not increase
IN violence, that she would be able to
ride out the gale
Cornish Gas well As the boatswain
and mysel) was soaked through and
through; we therefore arranged that
the boatswain and should 90 below